Discussion of 几/幾 [jǐ] several, a few; how many?

Discussion of 几/幾

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1. 几 is used to ask for a number which is usually smaller than ten. This means that the person who asks the question estimates that the answer might be less than 10. The answer to a question with 几 should be a numeral plus a measure word. For example the Q and A below:
Q：她几岁？ [phr] How old is she?
A：八岁。[phr] (She’s) eight.
However, in some cases even when the number is bigger than 10, we still use 几. These cases include when we ask time and date, when we ask for an ordinal number such as a bus number, a number of an apartment, etc.
E.g. 现在几点了？ [phr] What time is it now?
E.g. 今天几号？ [phr] What's the date today?
E.g. 你住几号 [phr] What's the number (of the room/ building) that you live in? Which room/building do you live in?

2. In a question where 几 is used, 几 is usually followed by a measure word. This is different from 多少 which is not necessarily followed by a measure word.

Please note that 多 and 多少 can also be used to ask for a number. To know how to use them, please check out our notes on those entries.

lisaC

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今天星期几
明天星期几
昨天星期几

Skye Leaf

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What are some common phrases that include the word 几 (jǐ)?

个学生

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1. 几个 (jǐ gè): "several, a few; how many?" - Used to refer to a small number of people or things.

2. 几十 (jǐ shí): "tens, dozens" - Used to refer to a large number of people or things.

3. 几百 (jǐ bǎi): "hundreds" - Used to refer to a very large number of people or things.

4. 几点 (jǐ diǎn): "what time?" - Used to ask what time it is.

当老师

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How do I use 几 (jǐ) to express quantity?

个学生

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几 (jǐ) is used to express quantity when referring to a small number of items. It is used to ask "how many?" or "how much?" and can be translated as "several", "a few", or "how many?".

For example, if you wanted to ask how many people were in a room, you could say "有几个人 (yǒu jǐ gè rén)?" which translates to "how many people?".

It can also be used to express a small number of items, such as "几个苹果 (jǐ gè píngguǒ)", which translates to "a few apples".

当老师

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How is 几 (jǐ) used in a sentence?

个学生

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